Kudos to One of Solar One’s Own
Friday, July 11th, 2008
A member of the Solar One family received high praise in the local press this week. Christopher Kennedy, ecological artist and Educational Coordinator at Solar One, was featured in yesterday’s New York Metro. CK’s “Urban Epiphyte” project caught the attention of New Yorkers throughout the city, as participants donned vegetation as part of their daily dress to draw notice to our local ecology. Epiphytes are organisms, mostly plants, that live by attaching themselves to other plants for physical support. Mainstays of rain forests such as orchids and bromeliads, which essentially grow in the upper canopy of their host trees, are the most well-known members of this classification.
Participants in the “Urban Epiphyte” project went through their normal routines wearing live plants culled by CK from Prospect Park in tool belts and fanny packs, documenting reactions and interactions with other New Yorkers. In one instance, a crowd gathered to help as one plant fell to the subway platform. Chris himself noted that the people he encountered treated his plants with the care normally reserved for pets and that many kept discussing the incident afterward. Ultimately, those fortuitous witnesses were inclined to consider aspects of their environments that they normally take for granted in a new light. Isn’t that the whole point to quality art?
Posted in Art, Energy Efficiency, Global Warming, Legislation, Native Plants, New York City, S1 in the News, Solar One | Permalink
GM Going PV
Tuesday, July 8th, 2008
The word is out that going green is not just about environmental altruism; it also makes smart business sense, and the business community is finally starting to notice, as General Motors announced on Tuesday that it will build the world’s largest PV array on the rooftop of its factory in Zaragosa, Spain.
The 10MW array, to be completed by the end of September, will consist of over 85,000 solar panels and will generate the energy equivalent of 4,600 households. Though its primary use will be to power GM’s automobile assembly plant, thereby cutting significant manufacturing costs, the array will also take advantage of Spain’s generous net-metering policies by selling solar-generated electricity back into the local power grid. To its credit, General Motors has been one of the earliest and most active proponents of solar energy in the corporate sphere, housing two of the largest PV arrays in the US on their warehouses in Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana, both in California, and is contemplating the installation of similar arrays on its 19 other EU-based facilities and one in Saint Petersburg, depending on the success of the Zaragosa array. If it meets expectations, the tipping point in favor of PV may have finally arrived…
Posted in Energy, Green Building, Photovoltaics, Solar One, Sustainability | Permalink
July 4th Tickets Available! Sold Out!
Monday, June 30th, 2008
UPDATE 7/3/08: As of last night, tickets for this year’s July 4th festivities are sold out completely. There will be no tickets available at the door. Thank you.
For everyone who has been wondering about what is happening at Solar One on July 4th, wonder no more. We will once again be working with Rooftop Films to sandwich some great music and short films around the (insert favorite sandwich filling) that are the Macy’s East River fireworks display. Once again we will offer a front row seat for the fireworks - word is we might even have a better view this year if that’s possible), plus great refreshments (some free from 5-7pm). Tickets are $30 and the proceeds go to support Solar One and Rooftop Films - two great non-profit organizations that (we hope) make New York City a more informed and more entertaining place to live. For full details and to purchase tickets, please head on over the the Rooftop Films site for the event.
The event will start at 5pm and everyone needs to be on site by 6pm in order to comply with NYPD rules that will have access blocked off after that time. Please note that in the case of inclement weather, our event will be happening as long as the fireworks are still happening. If the fireworks are moved to a different night (likely Saturday), we will honor all tickets. Otherwise, tickets are non-refundable.
If you have any questions, please call us at (212) 505-6050. Now here’s a photo from last year to whet your appetite.
Posted in Art, East River, Film, Solar One | Permalink
July 4th!
Monday, June 30th, 2008| July 4, 2008 | ||
| 5:00 pm | to | 11:00 pm |
For everyone who has been wondering about what is happening at Solar One on July 4th, wonder no more. We will once again be working with Rooftop Films to sandwich some great music and short films around the (insert favorite sandwich filling) that are the Macy’s East River fireworks display. Once again we will offer a front row seat for the fireworks - word is we might even have a better view this year if that’s possible), plus great refreshments (some free from 5-7pm). Tickets are $30 and the proceeds go to support Solar One and Rooftop Films - two great non-profit organizations that (we hope) make New York City a more informed and more entertaining place to live. For full details and to purchase tickets, please head on over the the Rooftop Films site for the event.
The event will start at 5pm and everyone needs to be on site by 6pm in order to comply with NYPD rules that will have access blocked off after that time. Please note that in the case of inclement weather, our event will be happening as long as the fireworks are still happening. If the fireworks are moved to a different night (likely Saturday), we will honor all tickets. Otherwise, tickets are non-refundable.
If you have any questions, please call us at (212) 505-6050. Now here’s a photo from last year to whet your appetite.
Posted in Art, East River, Film, Legislation, New York City, Pollution, Solar One, Solar One Events | Permalink
Victory! Both of the I HEART PV campaign’s spring goals accomplished! NET METERING and the NYC SOLAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT to become law!
Friday, June 20th, 2008
EXPANDED NET METERING and the NEW YORK CITY SOLAR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT both passed in the State Assembly during this last week of the Legislative Session. The ABATEMENT passed on Tuesday June 17, and NET METERING on June 19th.
This is a big victory for solar in New York State and City. Both policies, to brought into force over the next 6 months, will help make clean energy investments more economical in the short-term, and ultimately cost-competitive with conventional sources in the next 5-10 years.
For all of you who called and wrote letters to your legislators over the past two months, thank you and congratulations! Your efforts and hard work paid off.
The victories are not the end of our work, but the beginning. With these two goals now fulfilled, the I Heart PV campaign, in partnership with a coalition of other advocacy groups and individuals throughout New York, will begin to lay the groundwork for bolder statewide solar goals, including a ‘million solar roof’ program for New York, modeled on California’s existing initiative. Stay tuned for further details . . . .
I Heart PV would like to thank the many groups that led the effort to achieve expanded net metering and the NYCSPTA. I was a pleasure working with and learning from them:
ACE New York, the Campaign for New York’s Future, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Environmental Defense, New York League of Conservation Voters, NYSEIA, NYIRN, Sierra Club, the Solar Alliance, Vote Solar (big shout out to Shaun Chapman), and many more.
Posted in Solar One | Permalink
Solar One is Hiring!
Friday, June 20th, 2008Solar One is looking for an Energy $mart Communities Coordinator to begin work later this summer. We will be responsible for the region encompassing Manhattan and Staten Island, working to market NYSERDA’s programs and promote energy efficiency throughout those boroughs. For more information and application instructions, please see our jobs page. For more information on the Energy $mart program, click the logo below.
Posted in Energy Efficiency, Green Building, New York City, Solar One | Permalink
Thank you!
Thursday, June 12th, 2008
We have many reasons to say “thank you” to so many people from the past few days! Some great parties were thrown under our tent this week(pictures from Revelry and GOOD Greenmarket after the jump) and we’re grateful to be working with so many talented and dedicated groups:
* Thank you to all of our Revelry By The River honorees, sponsors and attendees for truly making it our best Revelry ever. We feel really good about everything that we’ve done over the past year, and your support really affirms our mission to promote sustainability in the Big Apple;
* Thank you to dvGreen, design one, Scharff Weisberg, Sage Events and everyone who worked so hard to make the event such a beautiful and delicious one. And thank you to the weather for cooperating.
* Thank you to the folks at GOOD Magazine, Loving Day and Green Drinks for putting on three great events on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. We had thousands of people throughout the weekend eating, drinking, enjoying the music, and just generally having a good time despite the 90+ degree heat.
* Thank you to City Councilmember David Yassky for coming down to Solar 1 in the record-breaking heat yesterday for a conversation with Solar One Outreach & Advocacy Coordinator Chris Neidl on green politics and policy-making in NYC.
* Thank you to all the Solar One staff and volunteers who put in countless hours in recent weeks getting things ready and working to make sure that everything went so smoothly.
I could go on, but I think the point is made - if this past weekend is any indication, it’s going to be a great summer out at Solar 1. Don’t forget to come back for Citysol, June 26–29!
Posted in Energy Efficiency, Revelry By The River, Solar One, Sustainability | Permalink
Time is Running Out, Make the Call: Urge Albany to Pass the New York City Solar Property Tax Abatement Bill
Thursday, June 5th, 2008
Right now legislation is pending in the New York State Senate and Assembly that, if made into law, would give new solar PV system owners in the five boroughs a sizable property tax abatement. Such an incentive would make solar more affordable and would boost the amount of clean energy in-city over the next few years, while permanently driving down costs.
The Senate bill (8145) has made it through committee and will be voted on shortly. The Assembly bill (11202) however, is still waiting to be considered by the Real Property Tax Committee. There are only two and half weeks remaining in the current legislative session so the time for the Assembly to act is now!
Go to the I Heart PV campaign’s Cause Caller page where you can make contact with four members of the Real Property Tax Committee and urge them to move the bill through for a general vote now - without even looking up a single number. It’s easy and takes about 5-10 minutes.
Make the call now and help make solar more affordable for New Yorkers!
Posted in Solar One | Permalink
I Heart PV Street Team visited by State Senator Eric Adams in Brooklyn this weekend.
Monday, May 12th, 2008
On Saturday May 10th, the I Heart PV Street Team held its very first Brooklyn activity at the Grand Army Plaza Green Market. The group of Manhattan Comprehensive H.S. students provided hands-on solar demonstrations by charging cell phones and laptops, and also briefed passers-by on the legislative goals of the campaign. They were met with great interest and enthusiasm by the crowd.
At the event, the group was greeted by State Senator Eric Adams of the 20th District in Brooklyn (pictured above, center), whose support and enthusiasm for the subject of solar was responsible for the group’s appearance at the market. Senator Adams is committed to making solar more viable in the five boroughs through progressive policy measures, and supports the campaign’s goal of expanding net-metering for solar electricity systems in New York. (Click here to find out more about it, and how you can get involved.)
Solar One thanks him for his support and leadership!
Posted in Solar One | Permalink
On View: Darwin’s Garden
Sunday, May 11th, 2008
When it comes to evolution, most people imagine fish with legs, anthropoid-like monkeys or those otherwise nondescript finches from the Galapagos Islands. An exciting new exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden, however, seeks to provide insight into a rather neglected realm of evolutionary history. Darwin’s Garden: An Evolutionary Adventure, on view now through June 15, is a 40-minute walking tour through botanical deep time that explores the phylogenetic relationships, histories and habits of some thirty different plant and fungus species, beginning with such primitive life forms and living fossils as algae, mosses and cycads through more complex flowering plants and carnivorous nitrogen-seeking specialists like the venus flytrap. This ambitious program spans “three separate Botanical Garden venues and includes an “evolutionary tour” of living plants that demonstrate key points on the tree of life, which links all living beings through a common ancestry.”
So take forty minutes from your day to visit the distant relatives from which you branched off hundreds of millions of years ago. Tix are $20 for adults, $7 for children, and $18 for students and seniors. You can order online or by calling 718-817-8716 during workweek business hours.
Posted in Education, Legislation, Native Plants, New York City, Renewables, Solar One | Permalink
